2025 record: 8-5 overall, 5-0 4A Region 8 (1st)

Playoffs: Lost to No. 1 seed Ridgeline 48-22 in 4A semifinals

Players to Watch: Teave Brown Sr. RB/LB, Sr. Brexton Hunter Sr. WR/DB, Penieli Pan WR/DB, McKay Marvell Sr. OL/DL, Sr. Brenyn Benson OL/DL, Tonu Lesa Jr. WR/LB, Henry Aho Jr. DL, Justice Tela Jr. DB, Julius Pan Jr. LB, Jesse Noa OL/DL.

Outlook: Provo will be going for its fourth straight league title in 2026 and even though Kirk Chambers retired as head coach and there were significant player losses to graduation, there is still plenty of optimism going into this upcoming season. The steady progress of the program in the last ten or so years when Tony McGeary became head coach followed by Chambers changed the entire tenor of the program.

The only thing that arguably prevented Provo from making the 4A championship game was bracketing as the Bulldogs were put on the same side of the bracket as eventual state champion Ridgeline. Provo beat the other finalist, Green Canyon, earlier in the season, 27-14.

“We’re definitely in a reload mode (vs a rebuild),” Halasima said. “We were super fortunate that on the defensive side of the ball that seven sophomores started (last year). The goal is to take that experience and get over the hump to that state championship game.”

The defense will be led by returning all-state players like Brown, who Halisima calls the “Alpha” of the team. Brown has committed to Oregon State and will get support from Hunter, a ball-hawking cornerback. Other key defensive contributors include Lesa, Penieli and Julius Pan, Tela, Noa and Orem transfer Henry Aho.

The biggest hurdle to reach that kind of success is some uncertainty on the offensive side of the ball. There were big losses on that unit with 3-year starting quarterback Gehrig Orchard graduating along with the likes of running back Malik Filimoe’atu, wide receiver Ronnie Wright and two-way players Crew and Griffin DeMartini.

The quarterback battle is between two sophomores in Freddie Beesley and Tama King, who transferred from Orem. But while they settle in, there is some good protection up front with the likes of McKay Marvell and Brenyn Benson, two 3-year starters. Halasima will expect Brown and Hunter to also contribute on the offensive side of the ball at running back and wide receiver respectively.

There will also be some significant coaching changes. Halasima will give up defensive coordinator duties to Tyler Fackrell while Dawson Arvi will coordinate the offense.

“I’m going to have my hands on both sides of it and give my input on both sides of the ball,” said Halasima.

What is your favorite team-building activity ? “I come from the Louis Wong tree (Wong was the longtime coach at Timpview) and he was big on team bonding whether it was through service, going to the park and cooking a meal, or going swimming. That’s some of the things we have embraced this year and some of the things Coach Chambers did as well.”